The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-01-28
FRANCIS JOSEPH.



The Somewhat Sh.dowy Existence a Ar.
tria-Hungsry's Sovereign.
The Emperor Of Austria il shadowy
parsonage compared with the other POI
tentates of Europe. He is obliged to be
constitutional monarch, but in being
30 he is not obliged to mingle more
than he pleases with his subjects. The
Emperor Of Germany takes pleasure in
showing himself to his subjects when
ever his health will permit. The Crown
Prince with his family walks about the
streets of Berlin. The Prince of Wales
shows himself at all sorts of gatherings.
Even the Emperor of Russia, though
he is obliged to take every precautiou
against Nihilist conspiracies, is more In
the public eye than this descendant Of
the Hapsburg. Francis Joseph was
born an absolute monarch, and with the
idea that he has no equals. To what exc
tent that idea dominated the Hapsburgs,
may be inferred from an anecdOte that
is told of Joseph II. When this
sovereign threw open the Prater and
the Augarten to his people, one of his
mobiles remarked to him that there
would soon be no place where he could
mingie with his Peers. "If wished
to content myself with the society of
my PEERS" replied the autocrat. II
should be obliged to pass my life in the
vaults of the Capuchins." 1t is in the
monastery of this order his ancestors
are buried. Yet Joseph II used to walk
about Familiarity among his people. as
did also Leopold II. while Maria Theresa
was motherly Empress, whom her
subjects regarded as personal friend.
The present Emperor is not lacking
In amiable qualities. The constitution
of 1913 deprived him of nearly every
attribute of sovereignty, except the
command of the army, which he re-
fused to give up. He yielded grace
fully, and now never attempts to trans
cend his traditional rights. He is q
hard worker. He signs the acts of Par
Lament that are brought him after five
O'Clock in the morning. and takes his
coffee at the desk where he performs
his work. Maria Theresa left twelve
sons. who. having been nearly as pro-
life as herself, have created society
of Peers whom the Emperor may ASSOC
ciate with without sense of Degrade
ton, and who are sufficiently nrmer-
Gus to prevent his getting lonesome.
They form the principal part of his So
ciety. As for the ordinary nobility.
they see him rarely and under the fol-
lowing circumstances: Sometimes
there is an aristocratic ball. ut which
he shows himself, not to please with
gracious familiarity, but to dazzle by
bis momentary presence. On these oc-
casiOns he sometimes addresses Il few
condescending words to Il few persons
Of Importance. He appears also in the
same fitting way at the balls given by
of burghers, students, or
Of the industrial classes. Every year
there is a court ball, to which are i'll
rited the chamberlains, the ladies Of
the nOblesse of sixteen quarterings. the
officers of the army, and the chevaliers
who wear imperial orders. He gives 4
second fete, to which are invited the
families of sixteen quarterings and the
diplomatic corps. Occasionally the
Emperor otfe a dinner. With these
he is not seen outside the
,ircle Of his numerous relatives.
Having been born to the rule bril-
iantly. he takes not unkindly to the
luties that his position rs constitu-
iOnal monarch imposes. He keeps
himself az courant with public affairs.
Is he is not able to read all the news
'apers, there is prepared for him n
Iaily journal called the RerieW OF the
Press, made up of extracts from the
Ournals all over the empire. and con-
aiming every thing that he cares to
now in respect to public opinion.
'ersonally he is popular, not alone ut
Jenna, but in the provinces. He has
een doing his best to Germanize the
mpire, by having a knowledge of the
;erman language diffused everywhere.
n his personal habits he is remarkable
or sobriety. He drinks little. His
My diversion is the chase, to which he
so devoted that he will stalk deer
18th the most ardent huntsman, follow
he chamois to his remOtest haunts, or
Use at dawn to get shot at the bird
hose only appearance during the day
at that untimely and unimperial hour.
is not the Emperor, but his Ministers.
tho are responsible for public acts. and
ne who read the late speeches must
ave remarked that while his words ;
ere cool, conservative, unwarlike,
lose of his Ministers were more sig
iiicant and threatening. 1t is prob
BILE that though he is confident of his
rmy (and it is owing in a great meas
re to his personal efforts that it has
cen brought to its present degree of
ficiency), he wants war as little as
ny body in his dominiOn.-C0r. SGn
Chronicle.
A Reckless Old Negro. |.